Antwerpen, Friday May 1st


Took the 8.41 train to Rotterdam, caught a train to Antwerp there. Arrived just after noon and met T. at the station. She gave me a tour of the city:)


Right outside the station is the impressive entrance of the Zoo. (Didn't go in;)


Pretty statues and decorations all around on The Astridsquare.


So many beautiful buildings in this town.


The city's house of celebration.


The gorgeous entrance of the cathedral (Onze Lieve Vrouwe)


It's a HUGE cathedral!


City Hall. People are waiting for the socialists' parade (May 1st)


Grote Markt square, statue of Brabo (see below)


Commies!


Told you it was big. You can see the cathedral from everywhere.


Two pictures together to show one of the first stone buildings of Antwerp: a castle/prison build around 1200 AD called Het Steen (The Rock...)


In front of Het Steen stands a statue of Lange Wapper. (A legend from the 16th century about a giant who irritates or provokes people. A big bully;)


Detail on the wall of Het Steen.


The meathouse/slaughterhouse was build around 1500 in late gothic style red bricks and white sandstone.


Brunch with birthday-girl T.: waffles with whipcream and cherries, mmmm.


Druoon Antigoon's hand. (see story of Brabo below;)


After dropping off T. at the station I did another touristy walk by myself. Look at the big dromedary on the roof of the zoo!


Balcony of yet another beautifully decorated building in The Meir street.


The Saint Anna tunnel was build in 1933 and the original wooden escalators are still running!


The tunnel under river De Schelde is 572 meters long, along the walls you can read an eleven hundred meter long poem:)


Former Sint-Julianus chapel with the black panther above the gate is now an art galery.


On my second touristy round I made a close up picture of the Brabo Fountain on the Grote Markt square (see story below;)


In the Stoelstraat: the oldest still remaining wooden house of Antwerpen.


I didn't have time to check it out, but I liked the information above ground of the Antwerp subway.


Camera whoring in the bathroom of the cinema (I was very surprised I had to pay for public restrooms in Belgium, even in the restaurant they wanted money! How very Dutch;)


Fell in love with the escalator in the cinema: you go up through a dark tunnel with constellations above.


I loved the auditorium even more: sitting in the dark with stars all around until the movie started. It was magical! (the three big lights are the left wall, the tiles are the ceiling;)


In the train up north: traintickets, moviestubs, souvenirs and Belgian chocolate for the family.

So what's with the big hand?
Read about the legend of Brabo to find out (click to enlarge)